Manufacturing processes for pharmaceuticals, coatings, paints, and other products involve the manipulation of powdered substances or other small particles. Certain processes require particles of a certain size or size range. Materials are desirably sorted according to size in certain processes in order to achieve a desired effect. Separation and sorting of small particles is used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, coating, painting, and measuring and observing particles in environmental evaluations, and other fields.
Known methods of sorting particles have drawbacks. Known electrostatic methods have difficulty separating particles according to size and require apparatus using large currents and large amounts of power.
Further improvements to methods and apparatus for separating, filtering or sorting particles are desired.